Erdoğan says Turkey 'won't be confined to its shores,' to continue drilling

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By sending its Oruç Reis seismic research vessel to the eastern Mediterranean for drilling, Turkey responded to attempts to disregard its rights, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday (August 11) after a cabinet meeting.

As a gesture of goodwill, Turkey suspended its activities in the region for a while after a request by the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, but Greece demonstrated during this time that it wasn't acting in good faith by signing a maritime border deal, Erdoğan remarked.

Turkey suspended drilling in late July despite a previous announcement and stated that it was ready for talks with Greece, which subsequently signed a maritime border deal with Egypt on August 6.

"I want to emphasize once again, Turkey doesn't have an eye on anyone's rights, soil, sea, legitimate interests. Our demand is to be approached in the same way," he remarked.

Turkey would not consent to attempts to "confine it to its shores," Erdoğan said and added that a formula that is acceptable for everyone should be found.

"We are always ready to resolve disagreements through dialogue and on an equitable basis. As Turkey, we will continue to implement our plants on the field and in diplomacy until common sense prevails," he said.

Foreign Minister: Turkey will issue a license for drilling

Turkey is set to issue a license for drilling in the western part of its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said yesterday.

Mevlut Çavuşoğlu's remarks came at a joint news conference in the aftermath of his meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Ankara, Turkey's capital.

Repeating Erdoğan's words, Çavuşoğlu said the Turkish administration demonstrated its goodwill in the region with "temporary" gestures in line with the demands of Germany and some other European countries.

However, according to him, Ankara's gestures have not been reciprocated by the Greek and Greek Cypriot administration, and Turkey has reactivated its drilling vessels in response.

"We will defend the rights of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean, and not make any concessions," he said, adding seismic and drilling activities will be conducted this month.

"Oruç Reis [seismic research vessel] has gone to the region, we designated the western frontier of our continental shelf in new regions as of late August. By giving licenses to those areas as well, we will continue all kinds of seismic research and drilling activities. We are fully determined," he said.

Çavuşoğlu went on saying that Turkey has consistently adopted a positive approach on the matter and accused Greece of ill-will against Turkey.

Stressing that Turkey sought a diplomatic solution to this tension, the top Turkish diplomat called on the international community to take the matter more seriously and put more effort to resolve it.

Defense minister: All measures are taken

Turkey has taken all measures to protect its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean arising from international law in its maritime jurisdiction areas, according to Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar.

Addressing top commanders in a virtual conference yesterday, Akar said no dealings that excluded Turkey and Northern Cyprus could be implemented in the region and that Ankara would not allow any no fait accompli in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Akar reiterated that Turkey's warships accompanied and protected the offshore surveying activities of seismic research vessel Oruç Reis within Turkey's continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Last month, after Athens objected to Ankara's seismic survey in an area south of the island of Meis, or Kastellorizo, German diplomatic efforts helped defuse tensions between Turkey and Greece.

But after Greece's move last week to sign a maritime delimitation agreement with Egypt, Turkey announced Monday that the Oruç Reis will conduct drilling in the region until August 23. (AS/VK)